Every Breath
by Unrivaled Mind
Summary: When you're on your own and every breath could be your last, you don't take chances. That's how he'd always lived. But now, after a random act of kindness and a split-second decision, Eragon finds himself risking everything for a future that might never exist. M for violence.


**So this is a test chapter. Tell me what you think about it and if I should continue or not. This will not be continued until after my two other stories are completely FINISHED. And if you think zombies are lame then you won't like this.**

Quietly as possible he leaned out from the brush. There were four zombies around forty yards away, but that was not what was making him nervous. No, what worried him were the two men who seemed to be . . . leading them. Chains were wrapped around the zombies necks and each man had two. One in each hand. The men were dressed in jeans and bullet proof vests with nothing under it. Yet, even with so much skin showing, neither seemed afraid of being scratched or bitten. They acted as if they waited for somebody yet they'd been standing there for over thirty minutes. He'd almost revealed himself when he'd first seen them but thought better of it when he saw the symbol on the Troop Truck another twenty yards back. He'd learned from past encounters that that symbol meant shit was about to go down

Suddenly one of the zombies turned on it's master and struck, clawing the man's arm. With an annoyed grunt, the man pulled out what looked like a nightstick and pressed it against the zombies side. Blue electricity arched into the zombie and it jolted away. Eragon's eyes narrowed. _What the hell was happening? Zombies are brainless. They don't back away because of pain. _He continued to watch and saw another truck on the horizon coming towards the group. It came to a halt and the driver jumped out, dressed exactly as the two zombie owners. Walking to the back of the truck, he pulled a tarp off and reveal several dirty bags of. . . . _wait. . . no. _It was bags of anything. It was people. One by one, the man dragged all seven onto the ground without sympathy.

The two men with the zombies shoved their "pets" forward with the electrified batons until they were feet from the bodies. He notched an arrow and inched forward. He had a feeling he was going to be intervening soon. The man who'd dragged the bodies from the truck kicked one's side.

"Get up! All of you! Get up!" Slowly, the lifeless forms started to move, rising onto their hand and knees. "Stay on your knees!" Eragon's breath got caught in his throat when he saw their faces. All of them had been badly beaten, all except for one. A girl, the age of fifteen or so. Her face was cut up but she was more conscious than the others. She glared hatefully at the man and spit, causing the man to chuckle. "You got a lot of spunk, kid. Too bad you're about to watch your friends die."

The girl glared daggers but stayed where she was.

"They're dead anyways."

The man shook his head.

"No, with proper medical attention they'd live. too bad they wont be receiving it before their guts get ripped out by these nasty little creatures."

By this point, the girl wasn't even listening anymore, instead her focus was on something in the distance. To anyone else, it would seem she was staring into the distance. But he caught a glimpse of light to his left. Looking quickly, he saw a blinking flash like the sun against a mirror. He grinned. This girl had a plan. He read the morse code with ease. Hold. . . . hold. . . . hold. . . . An crack echoed in the valley and the man who'd been speaking with Saphira crumpled to the ground. The two men with the zombies released them and took cover behind the truck.

The zombies headed for the prisoners and he swore, raising his bow and firing one bolt after another, taking down two in less than a second. The other two were taken out by bullets from the surrounding shrubbery. Saphira jumped up and sprinted towards the gunfire. Seeing this, one of the zombies masters leaned around the truck, aiming his weapon. He aimed and let loose another before the man could get off more than one shot. The girl made it safely to the trees and he watched as the last remaining man opened the passenger door. Before he was able to get in, he had silenced him with an arrow.

At his death, all was silent. After several minutes, he watched as a group of ten humans . Each was armed to their teeth. He had decided to sit it out and wait when he felt the coolness of a muzzle against his neck.

"Stand up."

He started to comply but instead spun and struck, using his bow to knock the gun from his attackers hand. Looking down, he saw a boy of around seventeen. He notched an arrow in a split-second and aimed his weapon at the boys chest. To his right now, a bullet locked into a chamber.

"Did you really think he'd come for you alone?"

Grinning, he relaxed his bow, placing the arrow back in his sheath.

"I thought he might be stupid enough, yes."

"Hold your hands out, palms up, and turn." Setting his bow on the ground he did as she said. He faced the girl that had talked crap to the man holding her prisoner. "Name."

"Cedrick."

"Real Name."

He laughed again.

"How do you know that name is not real?"

"You gave it up too easy. Real name."

"You first." The girl shook her head and her shaggy, bleach-blonde hair shifted with it. Finally he shrugged. "The name's Eragon Shay."

"And why are you here?"

"Is there another place I should be?"

"This land is restricted to the Forsworn."

Eragon tilted his head.

"And yet here you are as well."

The girl ignored his comment.

"Answer my question."

Eragon sighed.

"I'm hear because the game in this area is more plentiful than others. I need to feed myself don't I?"

There was a shout and Eragon looked to the site. Another man in her group was waving them over. Saphira kept her eyes on him.

"G., go see what Kyle wants." The kid nodded and started off at a run. "Who do you affiliate with?"  
"Myself."

"So you're a rouge. Not always a good thing."

"Nope. It's super unhelpful when I get into situations like this."

"What do you usually do in these situations?"

Eragon grinned.

"Either their friendlies and I walk away. Or I kill them."

He made sure that on that last statement his voice became deadly. The girl before him didn't flinch. Just them Geoffrey returned.

"Kyle wants you to bring the man down here."

Saphira nodded towards the truck.

"Go on."

Eragon, hands still out, started down the small incline and continued until he'd reached the small group. They all watched him warily as Saphira handed his recurve to Kyle.

"What is it?"

Kyle motioned at four bodies.

"These shots were made within seconds from forty yards and they hit with perfect precision. Where did you learn to do that?"

Eragon shrugged.

"I practiced a lot."

Kyle turned his bow over in his hands.

"What type of bow is this?"

"Bear Archery Kodiak Magnum Recurve Bow."

"This all you carry?"

"No."

Kyle frowned.

"Then where's your gear?"

Eragon didn't answer and Kyle sighed, motioning for the blonde to put her weapon down. He handed Eragon his bow back. She frowned.

"What the hell?"

Kyle shrugged.

"He saved your life, Saphira. Least we can do is let him go."

Eragon took his bow and settled it on his back.

"Who are you guys, anyway?"

Kyle motioned to two others.

"Strip them of their weapons and ammo and head back to the truck. Some of these people can't be moved so you'll need to return to base and bring a medical team. Sam, you take those who can move in the troop truck. Jace, take the truck and follow him." He turned back to Eragon. "We are the Varden. Anything else is not important. Do you need any supplies?" Eragon shook his head. "Good then you can be on your way."

Taking the hint, he mockingly saluted and turned, heading back to the woods. He zigzagged a path to be sure he wasn't being followed. Arriving at his gear, he uncovered it from the brush.

Over the past two years he'd acquired quite a good bit of equipment. He had an SOG Tactical Tomahawk that had seen it's fair share of carnage. A Ka-Bar Kukri Machete that he'd just scavenged off a dead survivor who'd been unlucky enough to get ambushed by a horde of zombies. The remains had been gag-worthy and the stench was horrid but he'd learned to never overlook anything. It would get you killed. Strapped to his leg he had a Ka-Bar Serrated Leather Tanto. The last of his melee weapons was a Gerber Gator Axe II. For guns he was empty. He didn't like them. Always attracting the wrong crowd. He pulled his pack onto his back that was filled with a shit-ton of Ramen Noodles, two-hundred feet of rope, a folding shovel, and a first-aid kit.

Hooking his bow to the pack, he started off the way he'd come when a thought hit him. Yes, out here it was every man for himself. Yes, being in large groups usually meant somebody would be an idiot and get everyone killed. But, it didn't mean he couldn't use these Varden people for shelter for a couple of days. He'd barely slept a wink in the past nights because it seemed as if the zombie population of this area was excessive. Especially at night. Making up his mind, he turned around and started towards where he'd just left. At this point only Kyle, Saphira, and one other remained, waiting with the injured who couldn't be move. He walked back into the clearing and Kyle laughed.

"I figured you might be back."

"How come?"

"Because although you are alone, I get the feeling that it's not your favorite."

Eragon chuckled.

"Actually, I quite like it. I just want to stay in a protected camp for a few days to get some rest."

Kyle shrugged.

"You can come with us but no snooping about or you're out on your ass again. Got it?"

"Yeah. I got it."

He waited with them for over thirty minutes before two more vehicles could be seen in the distance. As they approached, Eragon noticed a dejected look upon the leader's face. Kyle frowned.

"What is it?"

"They didn't return."

Both the face's of Kyle and Saphira darkened. The blonde ran her fingers through her hair.

"I'm going to find them."

Kyle swore and then shook his head.

"No, it's too dangerous. We've lost em'."

"Bullshit." She headed for one of the trucks. "I'll be back in a few days." Climbing in she looked back. "Or not."

Kyle's face reddened.

"We can't afford to lose anyone else, Saphira!"

She ignored him and started the engine. At that moment, although he had no clue as to why, Eragon started towards the truck. Saphira narrowed her eyes.

"What're you doing?"

He shrugged and hopped in the passenger seat.

"Not exactly sure. Let's drive."


End file.
